The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-07-06

in this work with the bread of eternal IL 10
; your right hand, and the bread Of A.
life in your left hand, and then you can t0teh
them, initiating the Lord Jesus Christ, who
! first broke the bread and fed the multitude
in the wilderness, and then began to preach,
recognizing the fact that while people are
hungry they will not listen, and they will
not repent We want more common sense
in the distribution Of our charities; fewer
magnificent theories, and more hard work
Still further: The great remedial influence
is the Gospel Of Christ. Take that down
through the lanes of suffering. Take that
down amid the bowels Of sin. Take that up
amid the mansions and palaces Of your city.
That is the salt that can cure all the poisoned
fountains Of public iniquity. Do you know that
in this cluster Of three cities, New York. Jersey
City and Brooklyn, there are great multi
tude of homeless children You see speak more
in regard to the youth and the children of the
country, because old villains are seldom re-
formed, and therefore talk more about the
little ones. They sleep under the stoops, in the
burned-out safe, in the wagons in the streets,
on the barges, wherever they can get board
to cover them. And in the summer they sleep
all night long in the parks. Their destitution
is well set forth by an incident A city
missionary asked one Of them: Where
is your homer Said he: 81 don't have no
home, sir" well, where are your father
and motherg" "They are dead, SIR" Did
you ever hear Of Jesus Christi "No, don't
think ever heard of Him" "Did you ever
hear of GodF' "Yes, I've heard of God.
Some Of the poor people think it kind Of lucky
at night to say something over about that be-
fore they go to sleep. YES, sir, I've heard Of
Him" Think Of conversation like that in
q Christian city.
How many are waiting for you to come ont
in the spirit Of the Lord Jesus Christ and
rescue them from the wretchedneSs here! Oh,
that the Church Of God had arms long
enough and hearts warm enough to take them
up! How many Of them there are As was
thinking Of the subject this morning, it
seemed to me as though there was a great
brink, and that these little ones with
cut and torn feet were coming on
toward it. And here is group Of
orphans o fathers and mothers, what do
you think Of these fatherless and motherless
little onesl No hand at home to take care OF
their apparel, no heart to pity them. Said one
little one, when the mother died: "Who will
take care OF my clothes nowF' The little % ones
are thrown out in this great cold world. They
are shivering on the brink like lambs on the
verge Of precipice. Does not your blood run
cold as they 60 over it!
And here is another group that come on to-
ward the Irecipice They are the children OF
oesotted parents. They are worse off than
orphans Look at that pale cheek; woe
bleached it. Look at that cash across the
forehead; the father struck It. Hear that
blasphemy compelled it. And we
suffering, suffer cu' peeled I and biistered ones,
we come to help you" ''Too late" cry thou
sands Of voices. ''The path we travel is
steep dowll, and we can't stop. Too late!"
And we catch our breath and we make ter
rife outcry. "Too later" is echoed from the
L. H. ,l.1 ox,l frN,x
brothel "Too late!" 1t is too late, and they
60 over.
neglected children. They come on toward
the brink, and every time they step ten
thousand hearts break The ground is red
with the blood Of their feet The air is heavy
with their groans. Their ranks are being
shame. Skeleton Despair pushes them on to-
ward the brink. The death-knell has already
God hover like birds over the plunge
of a cataract While these chill
dren are on the brink they halt and throw
out their hands, and cry: "EGelp! help!" Q
Church Of God, will you help! Men and
God, will you helpl while Christ cries from
the heavens: Save them from going down;
am the ransom"
stopped on the street and just looked at
the face of one Of those little ones. Have you
ever examined the faces of the neglected chill
dren of the poor' Other children have glad
ness in their faces. When group Of them
rush across the road, it seems as though q
spring gust had unlooser ed an orchard OF
apple blossoms. But thes: children Of the
poor. There is but little ring in their laughter,
and it stops quick, as though some bitter
memory tr:pped it. They have an old walk.
They do not skip or run up on the lumber
Just for the pleasure Of leaping down. They
never bathr,d in the mountain stream. They
never waded in the brook for pebbles. They
never chased the butterfly across the lawn,
putting their hat right down where it was
Just before. Childhood has been dashed out OF
them. Want waved its wizard wand above the
manger Of their birth, and withered leaves
are lying where God intended budding giant
of battle. Once in a while one Of these chill
dren gets out. Here is one, for instance. At
ten years O.. age he is sent out by his parents,
who say to him: Here is a basket-now
Says: ~ can't steal" They kick
him into a corner That night he puts his
swollen head into the straw; but voice
comes from heaven, saying: Courage, poor
boy, couragem Covering up his head from
the beastia ity, and stopping his ears from
the cursine, he gots on, better and better.
He washes his face clean at the public by
w I'LL q le" PcAAiCo 6oe oe
errands, hs gets a better coat Rough
men, knowing that he comes from low
street, say "Back with you, you little
villain, to the Place where you came FROM"
But that nj ght the boy says: "God help me,
I can't 80 back;;' and quicker than ever
mother flew at the cry Of a child's pain, the
Lord responds from the heavens: Courage,
poor boy, courage!" His bright face gets
him posti on. After while he is second
clerk Years pass on and he is first clerk.
Years pass On. The glory OF young manhood
is on him. He comes into the firm. He goes
on from ono business success to another; he
has achieved great fortune. He is the friend
of the church Of God, the friend Of all good
institutions and one day he stands talking to
the Board Of Trade, or to the Chamber Of
Commerce People say: "Do you know who
that iss Why, that is a merchant prince,
and he wis born on Elm street. But
better than that: "These are they which |
came out Of great tribulation, and
had their robes washed and made white In the
blood Of the Lamb" o, for some one to
write the history of boy heroes and girl hero
ines who hsve triumphed over want andstarv-
alton, and Hlth and rags Yea, the record
has already been made-made by the hand OF
God; and when these shall come at last with
songs and rejoicing, it will take very broad
banner to hold the names Of all the battle
fields on which they got the victory.
Some years ago roughly-clad ragged boy
came into my brothers office in New York,
and said: Mr.. Talmage, lend me five dol.
lars.n NV brother said; "Who are you"
Tho l,o,, rop1;ad. ST am noSody Lend me